Hear My Wish's
Chapter 4 - Saturday
“Thursday..” Noel folds his index finger, “...Friday..” middle finger.
folded, “...Saturday” followed by ring finger. If he doesn't mention it wrong
name the day and count it, this is the third day. Yeah, three days already
Edwin did not show himself. Noel has given up the minutes
it was worth it to sit sweetly, waiting for the arrival of the young man.
“PARK CATTLEY”
The letters are arranged in rows and made of silver plaque
that's glimpsed. Although actually only the word ‘taman’ understood by Noel.
This morning the sun shone brightly, warming everyone who walked
under the atmosphere indiscriminately. The sky looks so bright, the color
bright blue, embracing a bunch of clean white fibers, as if inviting him
joking ria. They were all completely contrary to the heart
A grim, colorless grey noel.
Indeed, the figure of ‘Edwin’ was only known to the child last Monday and they are new
see each other twice in a row. But, Noel felt like he knew that person
for two years, just because that person treated him properly. It
really treated like a human. Talked, given
food with cutlery and money for Free. Not like people
others who sometimes look at him disgusted, even they do not hesitate to spit at him, throw him
with small things or hit him like wild cats thieves
fish in the market.
Something landed on Noel's left shoulder. It feels like a hand
pat her shoulder slowly. The boy flinched. Quickly, he looked. That face
as soon as the familiar stood before him, a faint smile was engraved on his lips.
“Noel, sorry yes, brother Edwin can only come here again” he explained while a little
looking down, staring at the interlocutor who looked up to reply
his gaze. “Sister Edwin is sick from Wednesday, just recovered yesterday afternoon”
“Sick?”
Ah, ja. Noel had heard that word before. That means conditions
an unhealthy body, can make people staggered path, like Ryan
a few months ago. The child's body feels warm when held. It always
complaining his head hurt, his steps were heavy, and his voice was hoarse and
raucous, like the swans of the countryside that roam free, the animals that
acting like the thugs of the territory's ruling market.
Edwin showed me a red plastic bag he had tote, “This is breakfast
create Noel”
Noel's two tiny hands greeted him.
“Oh, yes. Edwin has not eaten either. We eat together, yuk?”
No need to wait five seconds, in a second the question was answered Noel
with a soft nod.
A yellow LED light appeared above Edwin's head, the symbol
the emergence of a brilliant and intelligent idea. Edwin smiled, “Noel, if we eat it at your house,
can you?” tanyakanya.
“But..” Noel did not continue his words, leaving his sentence
disconnected. He looked down like a withered plant.
“Why? Noel has not got money?” Edwin guessed the answer that would
out of the boy's mouth.
Sure enough, the boy nodded again.
“Nothing. Edwin will give you money, really. Noel has to eat
back then. Eat it at Noel's house, huh?” If only Edwin did this not top
the name of kindness, he was a sly person who always took advantage of the opportunity in
narrowness.
The answer is always monotonous. Nodding slowly, the body language that represents the word
‘ya, I agree’
Edwin lucky. This time he did not have to wait for dusk to arrive
following the boy home to a place not worth living he called ‘home’.
In addition, the clear weather on Saturday morning supports him to take pictures to
made some photos about the neighborhood Noel lived in. Then save it
in his cell phone gallery. This will make it easier to learn
the lives of these street children.
This was not the first time Edwin had walked from Cattleya Park to
this place in the middle of nowhere, which doesn't have a clear address. Just tucking in, please,
hiding behind nice buildings full of imagery. His feet are still
I'm not used to walking this far. His breath was still breathless, even
his chest felt a little tight even though asthma was not included in his history of the disease.
What can I do? It was impossible for his car to drive in the middle of a rat alley,
wasn't he?
He tried to distract her, so that her fatigue was not felt. Edwin started
ask, “In your home early in the morning there is no one, yes?”
Noel nodded, “Everything went all the way. Noel is not,”
inexplicably.
Huh huh? What did this kid just say? He didn't go far from
‘hishome’?
If Edwin had not misjudged this, he had walked more or less
eight kilometers. Obviously, it was not a close distance!
“Kak Edwin why?” noel asked, noticing the young man's breath
well-organized.
Edwin shook his head, “Ngak... Edwin is okay
kok...” he chuckles slowly, covering his fatigue. But the sweat fell
like a paratrooper group can't be lied to.
“Well... this... You have breakfast first..,” his slightly trembling hands
handing a red plastic over to Noel.
“Still, brother.” The boy accepted it without hesitation. Noel brought the package
the food came into his house. “Include, sis,” looks like a master
a home that welcomes guests.
A home?
It was even smaller than the bathroom in Edwin's house. Walls
looks dull without a touch of paint or wallpaper patches, even objects that
it should be sturdy strong it cracks as if it is ready to collapse destroyed at any time without
cues. Not a single tile stuck to the floor, only cement
the barrier between the foot and the ground.
Of course, Edwin was surprised. How can this kid stay here for the rest of the time
her life? Has he never complained about his house not being worth living in?
“Daddy Edwin not eat?” noel asked as he devoured the chicken porridge
edwin bought it just before the two met in front of Cattleya Park.
“Oh yes, sister almost forgot,” she replied as she continued to move her glance.
His gaze went around incessantly, even though there was only one room
separated thin curtains are green as extinct as an omelette, so that
it makes the impression there are six rooms here.
“Oh, yes. Brother Edwin don't tell me Noel went home to bang Gondrong, huh?
Noel was afraid bang Gondrong was angry with Noel,” his door with a typical plain face
little kid.
“Yes, brother Edwin will not say anyone who is,” he said as if very
promising. In fact, he did not know at all who is the figure of ‘bang
Gondrong’'s. Noel once said that name.
Because of his curiosity that kept on exclaiming in his heart, urging him
to ask. Finally Edwin opened his mouth, “Bang Gondrong is who?”
tanyakanya.
It is not easy for Noel to express the story that is still implied inside
her heart. He's not good at stringing words that much.
“Thyou?” Edwin asked again, hoping the question would provide an illustration
small, help him in a short answer. Either with words or language
body like a sling or a small nod.
“Not,” This time, Noel chose to answer it with a word, not
trousers. “Say Denis, bang Gondrong is the boss of kids”
‘Bos?’
‘These street kids have ‘bos’?’
It seems like the person in question does not deserve to be called ‘bos’. According to
understanding, someone with that designation should just give his subordinates
pennies. It's not like this. This person actually received money from his subordinates.
Isn't that outrageous?
Sit around, go somewhere, have fun. Whereas
these children he took to great pains to collect money, in what ways
pun.
“Bang Gondrong is what kind, anyway?” ask Edwin while stirring
his porridge that has been poured a little soy sauce and sambal.
“Bang Gondrong fierce. Love angry with Noel”
Yeah, no need to be surprised anymore. This boy has already reasoned several times to him
don't want to go home because it's empty-handed with no results, no sheet
money or a piece of coin or other valuable object that can be conjured changes
so money, means he must be ready to accept misfortune and punishment.
It felt like suddenly this food was no longer delicious, as if
also feel the pain of innocent children who do not understand anything about fate and
her life. Struggling with naivety in her who is so strongly embracing, embracing,
reluctant to let go of his grip.
***
The ten fingers moved quickly and agilely between the buttons
a grid lined with white letters on it. Race with seconds
and the minutes that sprint, go
and it went by so fast.
LIFE
EXPLOITED STREET CHILDREN AND THEIR IMPACT
(Case Study on Street Children in
West Jakarta)
DRAFTED
BY
Edwin Pramana Wijaya
Edwin pulled his fingers back from the swath buttons. Her hand
take a small note. A few paragraphs of short summaries about
new things he got this morning. He took a deep breath and breathed it out,
it was as if it could make him feel a little more relieved from the crush of tasks
end of class to welcome graduation.
His dark blue phone was ringing quite loudly. Phone sign in. He reached the picture button
green arch on the left.
“Halo?”
No answer at all. He kept it away from his ears.
The series of numbers on his screen were not familiar in his memory. Haven't
once the phone number was kept in contact, or even seen.
‘Perhaps people are misconnected,’he thought.
Without a second thought, the red phone button
face down pressed, ending the call. Edwin leaned his body
on the back of the chair, put both of his hands on the armrest, letting them relax for a moment. His heart is impatient
waiting for tomorrow, the day when new things will appear, be known and
learned it. A different side of life, a dark side of the light of the world.
The thing that always lurks in the shadows of happiness, which is none other
is their life, people with fate do not support.
***
No different from her usual days, Sylvia was always waiting for Noel in the alley
narrow, small, dark, the. If the patience in his heart is exhausted, he
hurried to find the boy, pulling his hand so that he would be dragged down by the current, following
himself, into the crush of two large buildings that are quite remote from
hustle.
“How much?”
Questions were repeatedly thrown from the girl's mouth every twilight
noel answered without words. Both of his hands reached into his pants pocket,
showing sheets of banknotes in various colors. Red, though,
blue, green, and golden yellow. Sylvia looked at the number of numbers lined up on
that paper. The number is over a hundred thousand. The girl nodded
his head, implying the words ‘This is enough’. Then he turned, walked
down that gloomy hallway without hesitation.
Noel put the money back in his pocket. A pair of little feet
step up, follow the trail of the girl. For the first time, he looked up at the sky
from between the slits of the gray high building. That golden yellow light shone
the round brown beads belong to Noel, making his irises sparkle beautifully, like
jeweled. Reply to the greeting of the sun who wants to sleep. ‘Congratulations
repose. Thank you for working so hard, shining on us with your blazing heat
the warm’ that's about the meaning behind his gaze.
The sun is completely asleep. Yes, the crescent moon is
saying it. He was clearly exclaiming among the twinkling little stars
surrounded himself.
The street children were marching like participants at the flag ceremony every Monday
morning, waiting for his turn to give all their labor. So
also with Noel.
“WOI!”
The loud throttling blew his inner conversation with the moon.
“MANA LO MONEY?! CEPETAN!”
Noel hurriedly moved his hand, reaching into both of his pockets. Her body
it felt tense at once, as if his blood had stopped flowing and his pulse had stopped
stalled. It can only feel the wind and thin fabric fibers, not
some of the paper money he folded. Realize what will happen
if all his money really disappears without rest. Noel's heart grew more anxious.
His heart was pounding, followed by cold sweat covering him.
The patience of the shabby blonde-haired man was exhausted for a moment. His face was red, though,
his eyebrows swooped sharply and met. The look of his eyes looked very
sharpest.
Within seconds, a fist landed on Noel's face, like
meteor that hit the field. His whole nerve is resisting the resistance,
let him fall on the floor. And so do the other kids,
they were unable to fight their leader, not least Sylvia who was known to be reckless
among the herds of street children. The girl could only look the other way,
he was acting as if he had not witnessed any painful event before him.
Without the slightest bit of mercy, bang Gondrong continued to land blows,
kicks, and swears at Noel. Although the child's skin was bruised full of bruises,
her eyes are glazed. Even fresh blood flowed from the mouth and
his nostrils. It was like the boy was screaming, wailing
beg for mercy. Unfortunately, it will only make the situation worse.
After he felt that the child had received a proper reply, his heart was satisfied. It
looking at the other kids.
“KALO LO ALL DO NOT WANT ME TO HAJAR ALL OUT KAYAK HIM, CEPETAN KASIH
MONEY LO!” threaten the man with a loud voice, bubbling like thunder
who snatched in the middle of the storm. At the same time, they spent all the money
their hard work. Seeing the amount of money he received was quite satisfying.
The man felt a little calmer, his outburst of anger as if a blaze of flames were
soft rain dipped padur. Put aside a green money. As always, though,
it was the meal money for the children that would be handed over to Denis. Youth
it's nodding. This time he didn't say much, his guts were really shriveled
after Noel was beaten all out mercilessly by the big man.
